Elizabeth Flores, a 2024 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine’s Charles R. Drew/Program in Medical Education-Leadership and Advocacy program and is dedicated to working with underserved communities. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry with a minor in French from the University of California, Irvine. She also earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Elizabeth was raised in Long Beach, California and is the daughter of two Mexican immigrants. She was the first in her family to graduate from college and the first to pursue graduate and professional education. Growing up experiencing social and health disparities inspired her to become a physician for disadvantaged communities.

As a medical student, Elizabeth served as a co-director of the Health Equity Hub, an organization dedicated to multidisciplinary student organizing and collaborating for social justice. She also advocated for a mandatory structural racism and health equity curriculum for which she creates didactics material. She currently serves as the co-director for the Latino Medical Student Association – Western Region where she supports Latine medical students and pre-medical students as they navigate their medical journey. Elizabeth was also inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society.

Elizabeth is passionate about advocacy and has served many roles in organized medicine including Region 1 Policy Chair for the Medical Student Section (MSS) of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the student representative of the American Academy of Family Physicians to the AMA MSS. She currently is part of the Legislative Affairs Committee of the California Academy of Family Physicians.

Elizabeth partnered with the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment for her MPP capstone project where she researched how redlining impacted highway development and what policies can be implemented for environmental justice. This project received departmental honors.

As a future family physician, Elizabeth dreams of working with underserved communities in a community clinic. She also hopes to organize with community organizations and advocate alongside patients. In her free time, she enjoys going on walks and looking for the perfect lavender latte.